ABSTRACT
Mental health problems are common in young people. Yet, while individuals between 12 and 25 years of age have the highest level of need for mental health care, this life-stage is characterised by the lowest level of service use. This is related to developmental factors that impact on the help-seeking beliefs and behaviours of adolescents and young adults. The process of seeking help for mental health problems is complex. It requires the person to recognise their symptoms, decide that help is needed, choose a source of help, and access and engage with the chosen help source. Problems recognising symptoms, a preference for self-reliance and perceived stigma and embarrassment about seeking help are all barriers to this process. Alternatively, factors such as positive past experiences, encouragement from others, good mental health literacy and reduced stigma can facilitate help-seeking. Importantly, we need to provide easily accessible youth-focused services that meet young people’s specific needs to facilitate timely and appropriate help-seeking. This chapter examines the barriers to seeking help that young people often face and ways to overcome these and includes a discussion of the pivotal role that general practice, schools, counselling and online services have in promoting help-seeking.
